Crazily Fast and Furious

Dated July 26, 2007, the Panasonic Toyota Racing completed their week long test on the race track of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain in preparation for August’s Formula One car racing competition. The previous days on the race track were very productive. Matched on sunny days, all the testers had a positive outcome on their tests. As of Jarno Trulli, he was forced to miss some of his tasks early this morning because of the oil leak. The Toyota Panasonic team changed its engine so Truli can practice on the race track.

The afternoon tests were very successful. Although only a limited time was given to him because of malfunctioning car parts on his racing car, he still managed to finish 70 laps of set-up with suspension, starts, aero work and brake tests done.

The Toyota car racing will be coming next week and he expects good weather for that day.

Jarno Trulli said, "The main thing to say about today was that it was so hot! When the asphalt is as hot as this it makes it difficult to get consistent data. Still, it was quite a positive day, we tried out various things in preparation for the next race in Hungary, which is likely to be just as hot and could be even hotter."

In addition, he also informs, "We missed some track time in the morning due to an oil leak. There was no breakage but the problem required an engine change. That made for a busy afternoon but we carried out some useful work on starts, aero and set-up for the Hungaroring. In the end we made it through our planned 70 laps."

The team manager Gerd Pfeiffer also shared his views. He said, "Today started slowly for us because of the problem we had with an oil leak. It started early in the day and though there was no breakage we changed the engine when the leak got too heavy. The afternoon was more positive and Jarno’s programme was similar to yesterday’s for Ralf. We carried out set-up and aero comparisons for the next grand prix in Hungary, along with suspension and starts."

Pfeiffer added, "Overall this has been a good test and it’s always important to run in hot co nditions. This year’s mileage restriction for testing means that there is no room for error. If you take the wrong direction with any testing you have no margin if you want to keep running at the end of the year. So we have to budget carefully for the laps we use. But this week has worked well and gone according to plan."

And oopss, by the way, thanks motorsport.com for the news.

McLaren’s being grilled by the FIA. Anything fishy about Formula One’s most controversial team so far this season?

Ron Dennis has repeatedly claimed that nothing contained in the Ferrari technical package has appeared on McLaren’s MP4-22 - which returned to winning ways with Alonso at the Nurburgring Sunday - but paddock rumor claims that the FIA has enough proof that the information has been used to throw the book at McLaren, India Times reported. Despite Dennis’s denials regarding the use of Ferrari intellectual property on McLaren’s car, the information could nevertheless have potentially been used to gain a competitive advantage, the report continued to say. 

Additionally, McLaren launched a successful protest against the ‘flexible floor’ introduced by Ferrari at the start of the season - something cynics say would not have been possible without back-up information detailing the part - based on email conversations between Coughlan and Ferrari’s Nigel Stepney. McLaren have submitted a full account of their role in Formula One’s ’spy’ scandal to the FIA. With these controversies, the team, by now, could be fuming fiercely like Mercedes Benz mufflers!

Dennis faces an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sports Council - the FIA’s highest power - in Paris on Thursday. McLaren have been charged with ‘fraudulent conduct’, namely being in "unauthorized possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Ferrari". Dennis has resolutely maintained his team’s innocence, stating "no Ferrari materials or data are, or have ever been, in the possession of any McLaren employee other than chief designer Mike Coughlan.” Dennis, though, is determined to see McLaren’s name cleared.

The ’spy’ scandal dossier
"If there’s anything left unsaid, any unanswered questions, then we will provide you with that information in due course," reported Fox Sports. It is a meeting that does not particularly enthrall Dennis, but he knows it is a necessary step towards hopefully seeing the team cleared from such accusations.

"Whilst it would be wrong to say I look forward to Thursday - because I’m not particularly looking forward to it - nevertheless I am keen to get into the process of putting this behind us," he added. "I am confident the information presented to the FIA is the true account of all the circumstances surrounding this matter."

If McLaren is found guilty, there is a wide-range of penalties open to the FIA, exceeding to potential points deductions, race bans, or even expulsion from the championship.

McLaren spying on Ferrari? The decision will be promulgated today. Let’s just wait for the FIA’s verdict on the matter…

No! Not again! Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is rumored to be entertaining thoughts about leaving McLaren Mercedes - his new home. It can be recalled that the Spaniard Formula One driver left Renault in 2006.

Unhappy?
The rumor, which has spread like wildfire, stemmed from the watcher’s opinion that Alonso is still unhappy at McLaren. The said notion was heightened by the alleged espionage scandal.
According to reports, even his inspired European grand prix win did not improve Alonso’s tetchy relationship with his McLaren bosses. Proving that the story is not influenced by national allegiances, both the British newspaper The Times and its Spanish colleagues at ‘Diario As’ agreed to say this week that all is not well behind closed doors at Woking, reported Duemotori.

"The double world champion has a terrible relationship with the head of McLaren, Ron Dennis" a reporter for ‘As’ revealed after the Nurburgring race. Television viewers got a glimpse of the tension on Sunday, when Alonso turned away from the waiting Dennis after alighting from his winning car at the Nurburgring. The ‘As’ reporter described the greeting as "cold", particularly in comparison with the euphoric scenes that used to take place between Alonso and his Renault boss Flavio Briatore.

The Times, meanwhile, concurs that Alonso is "far from happy" at McLaren, despite winning 3 of the 10 races so far in 2007. "It’s worse," an insider told The Times.

Also controversial has been the allocation of race strategies between Alonso and Hamilton, with the Spanish press adamant that the British rookie usually receives the favorable deal.

On Favoritism

‘The turning point, after a positive start, came in Monte Carlo at the end of May, when Alonso and his supporters were dismayed to see his drive to victory overshadowed by the row over whether or not Hamilton had been stopped from winning the race. ‘The impression is that the Spaniard has failed to establish anything more than a working relationship with Dennis, the McLaren team principal,’ The Times reported.

“And then, of course, there is the situation of team leader or number one driver, which Alonso and his advisors are believed to have thought the double World Champion would have been given,” Planet F-1 reported. “There are suggestions that the deal for Alonso’s move from Renault - as his advisers understood it when it was agreed in December 2005 - has not been honored. The Spaniard’s people might have been given the impression that Alonso would have an unchallenged position as team leader.” That, though, hasn’t happened.

Didn’t you know that the Philippines has their own car racing event as well? Just like any other country, the Philippines has a growing number of car enthusiasts each year. This is the reason why they organized a particular car racing yearly event called The Philippine Touring Car Championships. This is joined by most experts in car racing in the Philippines. There are also several stars and celebrities joining the said events.

The car racing even may not be as famous as the other car racing actions happening on the different parts of the globe but this one it the highest car racing event in the Philippines. It is not doing some other car racing activities like karting, drag racing or open wheel racing but the event is one among the most expensive and most sought after car racing stints in the country.

The Philippine Touring Car Championships is under the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) and was formerly known as The Philippine National Touring Car Championships. The Race Fans Incorporated is a private enterprise that manages the organization, promotion and marketing of the different activities on the PTCC. The AAP also has to approve and agree on a memorandum before it can push through.

The usual venue of the car racing event is in Subic International Raceway and The Batangas Racing Circuit which are owned and managed by Pocholo Ramirez and Johnny Tan, respectively. In 2005, there are noted 24 racers who joined the event but in 2006 an additional 10 racers joined the racing actions. This only means that in years, it can be as famous as the NASCAR.

Calling all Toyota F1 fanatics out there! I’m sure you’ll be delighted with these F1 bits that I’m going to provide you. So better rest those eyes from reading all that stuff from your VW repair manual and concentrate on some parts from an interview with your main man, Ralf Schumacher, as he gives his insights and as he talks about Silverstone. Enjoy!

Q: Was it especially disappointing to retire after your best qualifying of the year?

Ralf Schumacher: Yes, definitely. I retired just after one-third distance. I felt the wheel fixation problem as I came into the complex and it was a pity because we were strong all weekend and I was confident of a good result. Our performance level was good all weekend and we really expected to finish strongly. Unfortunately, after qualifying sixth I lost positions at the start but after that I was able to set lap times which competitive with the cars in front. That showed we had the potential to fight for a top-six finish.

Q: Qualifying sixth seems to be a good step forward?

RS: Both cars qualified in the top 10, which is always our target. Silverstone seems to be good for us. In testing last month we were relatively competitive but I have to admit I was a little surprised. I expected us to be in the top 10 but I didn’t expect the top six. It was a nice surprise and a good reward for all the hard work the team put in.

Q: Do you enjoy Silverstone?

RS: I’ve always enjoyed the track but the only problem in the race is that overtaking opportunities are very slim - in fact pretty much non-existent unless somebody makes a mistake. But the circuit layout itself is enjoyable to drive and I have to say, the English fans are great. They are really into Formula 1 and you see that every time you even go testing there. That’s encouraging for all of us. It’s a good event.

Q: Was it quite tiring to come from North America, test at Silverstone and then face the double-header in Magny-Cours and Silverstone?

RS: You do feel it. The long-haul races are difficult for the teams, the mechanics and for all of us, especially when you don’t see much of your family. It’s a lot of work and people get tired after overseas races but we are a world series and that’s the way it is. You tend to be quite tired and a bit jet-lagged when you come straight from Indy and test in Europe on Tuesday. That’s not perfect but we needed to do something at the Silverstone test and that’s why I came. After that I went home and had two or three days when I just didn’t do anything because I was tired. Then we were straight into France and Britain with little time to rest in between.

Last Thursday, the 4,000-mile Great American Race had a chance to snatch a little time for lunch at the Muskogee. They are actually heading to the over night stay at the Norman. They had a great Okie from the Muskogee Welcome.

A radio station known as the 101.7 radio station had a chance to introduce the cars that had made it to the lunch stop. The radio personalities such as Cliff and Kelley introduced the cars on stop for lunch on the Muskogee Civic Center according to the News On 6’s Rick Wells.

Since Saturday, the team was on the place when they came from Concord, North Carolina. They started at Fort Smith going to Norman and had a few minutes on lunch break at the Muskogee. As usual, there are plenty of viewes on the area watching the racing cars parked on the street of Muskogee. One among the owners of the cars is Rick McIntosh who is a veteran Great American Racer who handles a 1930 Ford Racer. McIntosh was the navigator of the Great American Race. And during the lunch, McIntosh and the racers had went along and swapped stories.

He said, "It’s tough on the driver, because I’m telling him what to do for two weeks in a row."

Cookson’s Mike McLaughlin had one of the cars parked and part of the event. He was the owner of the ‘67 corvette, one among the few Oklahoma cars to go on the race. McLaughlin was noted saying that the Great American Race has always been a dream to him. McLaughlin specified, “Always wanted to do this in a ‘67 vette.”

The lunch spent by the racer on the Muskogee was in fact a huge chance for the people to express their warm interest on the car racing. They have welcomed the racers on their area. There are even some people who brought their very own vintage cars to become a part of the rare spectacle. The team of the racers also felt glad about this warm welcome. The lunch they spent on the Muskogee was perhaps one among the most overwhelming opportunities that happened to them.

Last March, Aston Martin finally separated with Ford’s Premier Auto Group (PAG) and at last, it was handed over to Prodrive superior David Richards, Kuwait’s Investment Dar Co. and the American banker John Sinders.

Sinder give details that they’ve arranged the foundation by manufacturing the right creation and merging it with vast engineering. The next pace that they are going to focus on is to build up enhanced engines and to boost the trader set-up and, at the same time, to build brand responsiveness using different marketing strategies.

The entire set of manufacturers and engineers for the brand will carry on reviving the array however, they will also be accumulating a new halo vehicle to set off head-to-head with the Lamborghini Gallardo and the Ferrari F430. That way, they could be able to compete with such vehicles and perhaps also be able to send in their vehicles to F1.

FIA, motorsport’s leading body, has unveiled a listing of projected alterations to Formula One’s technical policies that it would be fond of to see realized by 2011. The alterations are element press on by the FIA to build F1 more eco-friendly, road-relevant, and cost-effective.

FIA finally published a supporting text recently, which has been forwarded to groups and producers as groundwork in preparation for an ultimate application which is going to be due by September.

A good number of modifications are intended to have an effect on both the chassis and powertrain designs and comprise such dealings as initiating changeable or on the go aerodynamic devices as well as the acceptance of a four-cylinder transfer between 1.3 and 1.5L.

In order to carry on things to be viable, there would be rebuff on RPM or boost up restrictions. Drag would be lesser than today’s racecars. Engines could attribute turbocharging and energy recovery technology - nevertheless, the whole quantity of fuel consumed and the height of carbon-dioxide released would be controlled.

The concluding main collision is the plan for a lower outlay by standardizing gears such as wheels and brakes transversely to the entire teams, homologation of mechanism and assemblies and limitations on team numbers at races.

This is absolutely not the track we wish for to see especially to F1 so let’s just hope and have fate to any changes as soon as possible. So let’s wait and see what will be the outcome for this one. For now I still have to do a write up regarding the Mercedes Benz brake dust shield and Mercedes Benz bumper.